Method for following an audio-visual transmission and equipment enabling the implementation thereof

ABSTRACT

A method for following an audio-visual transmission between at least a first and a second items of broadcasting equipment connected through a router and each able to broadcast at least partially the audio-visual transmission, each of the items of broadcasting equipment including a calculation processor, a memory and an interface for following a connected device associated with a user.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to French Patent Application No.1872165, filed Nov. 30, 2018, the entire content of which isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD

The present invention relates to a method for following an audio-visualtransmission on different items of broadcasting equipment of a premises.The invention also relates to the broadcasting equipment and the systemof items of broadcasting equipment making it possible to implement thismethod.

The invention finds applications in the field of television receptionand, in particular, in the field of the reception of televisedprogrammes on several apparatuses.

BACKGROUND

It is known, in the field of audio-visual broadcasting, that televisionsare more and more present in the interiors of private individuals andeven professionals. Most homes comprise several televisions spread outin the different rooms of the home. For example, in an apartment withseveral rooms, it is frequent that a first television is installed inthe living room, a second television in a bedroom and that a third oreven a fourth television is installed in another bedroom or even thekitchen. Each television is associated with a decoder which ensures thedecryption and/or the decompression of the televised programme broadcastby the distributor of audio-visual programmes—or TV operator—and thedisplay of the decrypted/decompressed televised programme on theassociated television.

The decoders are independent of each other such that each television candisplay a televised programme different from the televised programmesdisplayed on the other televisions. However, a consequence of theindependence of the decoders of a same home is that a user who movesfrom a first room to a second room of the home, for example from theliving room to the bedroom, has to, in each of the rooms, switch on thedecoder if it is not already in operation, then search for the desiredtelevised programme and programme his viewing choices (for example, thesound level, the language, etc.).

At present, a known method for following a televised programme—oraudio-visual transmission—from a first room of the home to a second roomconsists in switching on the decoder of the second room and recordingthereon the transmission underway, when the decoders propose a so-called“multi-room” solution.

When the audio-visual transmission exists on the cloud, that is to saythat it has been recorded in NPVR (Network Personal Video Recorder)format, then the user does not need to record the audio-visualtransmission beforehand; he can simply rerun it manually in order toresume the audio-visual transmission at the spot where it was when heleft the first room.

A method and a system, described in the document US 2010017474 A1,enable a rerun of an audio-visual transmission viewed by several users.However, this system and this method require a manual intervention byusers. They do not allow an automatic rerun of the transmission.

The document US 20090216351 A1 describes a system and a method making itpossible to extend the capabilities of a UPnP AV network architecturewith a “follow-me” functionality providing to users the possibility ofpausing or stopping the reading of the audio-visual transmission at onelocation in the UPnP AV network then resuming the reading of thistransmission later. However, this system and this method require manualinterventions by the users.

SUMMARY

To respond to the aforementioned problem of following an audio-visualtransmission through the rooms of a home, the Applicant proposes anautomatic method for following an audio-visual transmission in which atemporisation of the audio-visual transmission is launched as soon as amovement of a connected device associated with the user is detected.

According to a first aspect, the invention relates to a method forfollowing an audio-visual transmission between at least a first and asecond items of broadcasting equipment connected through a router andeach able to broadcast at least partially the audio-visual transmission,wherein each of the items of broadcasting equipment comprises acalculation processor, a memory and at least one interface for followinga connected device associated with a user and wherein the methodcomprises the following operations:

-   -   detection, by the first broadcasting equipment, of the moving        away of the connected device with respect to the first        broadcasting equipment,    -   sending, by the first broadcasting equipment, of a moving away        message destined for all of the items of broadcasting equipment        connected to the router, this moving away message comprising        data for temporisation of the audio-visual transmission,    -   verification, by each of the items of broadcasting equipment        connected to the router, of the approach of the connected        device,    -   detection, by the second broadcasting equipment, of the approach        of the connected device associated with the user,    -   broadcasting of the audio-visual transmission, by the second        broadcasting equipment, as a function of the temporisation data        transmitted by the first broadcasting equipment in the moving        away message, and    -   transmission, by the second broadcasting equipment, of an        acknowledgement message destined for all of the items of        broadcasting equipment.

The method of an aspect of the invention allows a user to continue, inan automatic manner, to view and/or to listen to an audio-visualtransmission on the different items of broadcasting equipment of apremises.

Beneficially, the method comprises a preliminary operation ofrecognising the connected device associated with the user and oftransmission, to the items of broadcasting equipment connected to therouter, of a following message containing data for following theconnected device.

Apart from the aforementioned characteristics, the method according tothe invention may have one or more complementary characteristics amongthe following, considered individually or according to all technicallypossible combinations thereof:

-   -   each following message comprises, in a message frame, a MAC        address relative to the connected device, a close threshold        value, a distant threshold value and a user identifier.    -   each moving away message comprises, in a message frame, an        identifier of the broadcasting equipment transmitting the moving        away message, the MAC address of the connected device, an        information for relaunching the audio-visual transmission and        the temporisation data.    -   the preliminary operation of recognising the connected device        comprises at least one measurement, at least by the first        broadcasting equipment, of a received signal strength indicator.    -   the preliminary operation of recognising the connected device        comprises a sampling of the received signal strength indicator.    -   the preliminary operation of recognising the connected device        comprises a selection of the connected device, by the user.    -   the method comprises, after reception of the acknowledgement        message, and in the absence of a second connected device        detected near to the first broadcasting equipment, an operation        of stopping the broadcasting by the first broadcasting        equipment.    -   the connected device communicates with the items of broadcasting        equipment via a Bluetooth wireless exchange protocol.    -   when the connected device is detected on approaching the second        broadcasting equipment, the second broadcasting equipment sends        to the user a request for acceptance to resume the audio-visual        transmission.

According to a second aspect, the invention relates to an equipment forbroadcasting an audio-visual transmission, wherein the equipmentcomprises a calculation processor, a memory and at least one interfacefor following a connected device associated with a user, thebroadcasting equipment being able to detect a moving away and anapproach of the connected device, to send, receive and process a movingaway message, and to broadcast the audio-visual transmission whiletaking into account a temporisation data contained in the moving awaymessage.

According to a third aspect, the invention relates to a system forbroadcasting an audio-visual transmission implementing the method suchas defined above and comprising:

-   -   at least a first and a second items of broadcasting equipment        connected through a router, and    -   at least one connected device, associated with a user and        connected to the items of broadcasting equipment by a wireless        exchange protocol, each of the first and second items of        broadcasting equipment comprising a calculation processor, a        memory and at least one interface for following the connected        device.

This system has the benefit of not requiring any supplementary device,more or less costly. This system is constituted uniquely of items ofequipment (items of broadcasting equipment, connected device, router)present in a conventional home which, in the invention, have theparticularity of exchanging information between each other.

According to a fourth aspect, the invention relates to a computerprogramme, which includes instructions which, when they are executed byan equipment for broadcasting an audio-visual transmission, are capableof implementing the method such as defined above for detecting theconnected device and broadcasting the audio-visual transmission.

According to a fifth aspect, the invention relates to a non-transitorystorage or computer readable medium, which stores a computer programmeincluding instructions to implement, by an equipment for broadcasting anaudio-visual transmission, the method such as defined above when theprogramme is executed by a processor of the equipment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Other benefits and characteristics of the invention will become clear onreading the description, illustrated by the figures in which:

FIG. 1 schematically represents an example of a plan of an apartment inwhich items of broadcasting equipment are installed in different rooms;

FIG. 2 represents a schematic view of an example of system forautomatically broadcasting an audio-visual transmission according to anembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 represents an example of functional diagram of the methodaccording to certain embodiments of the invention; and

FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 represent examples of frames, respectively, of afollowing message and of a moving away message.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An exemplary embodiment of an automatic method for following anaudio-visual transmission and the system implementing this method isdescribed in detail hereafter, with reference to the appended drawings.This example illustrates the characteristics and benefits of theinvention. It is however recalled that the invention is not limited tothis example.

In the figures, identical elements are marked by identical references.For questions of legibility of the figures, the size scales betweenrepresented elements are not respected.

FIG. 1 represents an example of a plan of an apartment in which threeitems of broadcasting equipment are installed in three different rooms.Those skilled in the art will understand that the method and the itemsof equipment that will be described hereafter may be implemented in allsorts of homes or premises, whether individual homes, collective homes,commercial premises, etc. In the example of FIG. 1, the apartment 10comprises a kitchen 11, a living room 12, a bathroom 13 and a bedroom14. In this apartment 10, a first broadcasting equipment 21 is installedin the living room 12 and a second broadcasting equipment 22 isinstalled in the bedroom 14, these first and second items ofbroadcasting equipment each being, for example, a decoder/televisionset. A third broadcasting equipment 23 is installed in the kitchen 11,this third broadcasting equipment 23 being, for example, a smartspeaker. Indeed, according to an embodiment of the invention, abroadcasting equipment may be any type of device or set of devicesmaking it possible to broadcast entirely or partially an audio-visualtransmission. In other words, a broadcasting equipment may be a deviceor a set of devices making it possible to broadcast the sound and theimage of an audio-visual transmission, or instead only the sound, orinstead only the image. The broadcasting equipment may thus be, forexample, a decoder/television set, a smart speaker, a mobile telephone,or any other electronic device capable of broadcasting a visualtransmission and/or an audio transmission.

In the example of apartment of FIG. 1, each item of broadcastingequipment 21, 22, 23 is independent of the or other items ofbroadcasting equipment of the home or premises, which offers each itemof equipment the possibility of displaying a specific audio-visualtransmission, different from the audio-visual transmissions displayed onthe other items of equipment. However, each item of broadcastingequipment (called more simply equipment) is connected to the other itemsof equipment through a router ensuring the routing of packets in thecomputer network of the home. This router may be, for example, the Wi-Firouter of the home. In the example of FIG. 1, the router 24 is locatedin the living room 12, it being understood that it may be positioned inany location of the home and that it may be independent or integrated ina computer device of the home.

All of the items of broadcasting equipment 21, 22, 23 of the home form,with the router 24, the broadcasting system of an embodiment of theinvention. This broadcasting system comprises, moreover, at least oneconnected device 30 associated with a user. Indeed, nowadays, themajority of persons keep on them, or within reach, a connected devicesuch as a smart watch or a mobile telephone. The system of the inventionproposes detecting the movements, in the home, of certain at least ofthe connected devices and to consider that each connected device ismoved with its user. By following the movement of the connected device,the broadcasting system follows the movement of the user and enables anautomatic continuation of the broadcasting of the audio-visualtransmission on the different items of equipment of the system, suchthat the user does not miss a part of the audio-visual transmission.

FIG. 2 represents an example of broadcasting system according to theinvention. This example corresponds to the broadcasting system installedin the apartment 10 of FIG. 1. In this example, the broadcasting systemthus comprises a first decoder/television set 21 forming the firstequipment of the system, a second decoder/television set 22 forming thesecond equipment and a smart speaker 23 forming the third equipment ofthe broadcasting system. Each decoder/television set 21, 22 may comprisea decoder 21 a, 22 a, a television 21 b, 22 b and a remote control 21 c,22 c, the decoder being equipped with an audio-video output interface,for example of HDMI type, connected to the television.

Each item of equipment 21, 22, 23 comprises several digital signalinputs, such as for example Ethernet, Cable, Satellite, TNT antenna andWi-Fi inputs. Each item of equipment 21, 22, 23 also comprises acalculation processor and a memory to implement the method of theinvention. The calculation processor includes one or more electroniccircuits to perform its function(s). The memory may be a non-transitorymachine readable medium encoded with instructions for implementing thesteps of the invention. Each item of equipment further comprises a firstinterface 50, for example a Bluetooth interface (e.g. an interface thatimplements the IEEE 802.15.1 protocols), to implement the following ofthe connected device and, in certain alternatives, to manage useractions via the remote control. In certain other alternatives, each itemof equipment 21, 22, 23 may also comprise a second interface 60, forexample infra-red (IR), to manage user actions, for example via theremote control 21 c, 22 c, 23 c. The interface comprises one or moreelectronic circuits to perform its functions.

The broadcasting system of FIG. 2 further comprises a router 24connected by any known communication means to the different items ofbroadcasting equipment 21, 22, 23 of the system. In the example of FIG.2, the router 24 communicates with the items of broadcasting equipmentby Wi-Fi (shown schematically by the reference 40). This router 24enables all of the items of equipment to communicate with each other andto share events and audio/video data streams.

The broadcasting system of FIG. 2 also comprises at least one connecteddevice 30, associated with a user, and communicating with the items ofbroadcasting equipment by a communication protocol such as Bluetooth(shown schematically by the reference BT in FIG. 2). The system maycomprise as many connected devices as users of the system, eachconnected device needing to have been selected beforehand by the userand recognised by the broadcasting system, in the manner describedhereafter. The connected device may be a mobile telephone, a smartwatchor any other connected device associated specifically with a user.

This broadcasting system enables a user equipped with his connecteddevice to continue to view and/or listen to an audio-visual transmissionwhen he moves about in his home. For example, when the user, who iswatching an audio-visual transmission on a first broadcasting equipment,for example the decoder/television set 21 of the living room 12, movesaway, equipped with his connected device 30, from the first equipmentand goes out of the living room, the broadcasting equipment 21 detectshis moving away. It then informs the other items of equipment 22, 23 ofthe home 10 that the user has moved away and that he is certainly goingto come closer to another broadcasting equipment of the home. Each itemof equipment 21, 22, 23 of the home then verifies if the user, equippedwith his connected device 30, is coming closer to the equipment. If theuser is detected, via his connected device, as approaching the secondbroadcasting equipment, then the second equipment starts up thebroadcasting of the audio-visual transmission. In the example of FIG. 1,if the connected device 30 is detected as approaching the equipment 22,then the decoder/television set 22 begins the audio-visual broadcastingof the audio-visual transmission at the place where the audio-visualtransmission was when the user moved away from the decoder/televisionset 21 of the living room. If the connected device 30 is detected asapproaching the equipment 23 of the kitchen, then the smart speaker 23begins the audio broadcasting of the audio-visual transmission at theplace where the audio-visual transmission was when the user moved awayfrom the decoder/television set 21 of the living room.

An example of a method according to the invention is represented in theform of a functional diagram in FIG. 3. This method 100 comprises,during a step 110, the broadcasting of an audio-visual transmission by afirst equipment. It also comprises a step 120 of detection of the movingaway of the connected device with respect to the first equipment. Thisstep 120 consists in the first equipment determining if the signal thatit receives from the connected device is greater or lesser than athreshold value, called proximity threshold. Indeed, if the signal thatthe first equipment receives is less than this proximity threshold, thissignifies that the connected device is moving away from the firstequipment. If this is not the case—that is to say that the connecteddevice is detected near to the first equipment—then the broadcasting ofthe transmission by the first equipment continues. If this is thecase—which signifies that the connected device is detected as movingaway from the first equipment—then the first equipment sends, via therouter, a moving away message to all of the items of equipment of thebroadcasting system (step 130). The items of equipment then verify ifthe connected device is approaching one of them. When, at step 140, theconnected device is detected close to one of the items of equipment,here called second equipment, then the second equipment starts thebroadcasting of the remainder of the audio-visual transmission (step150). If no equipment detects the approach of the connected device, thenthe audio-visual transmission continues to be broadcast on the firstequipment. When the second equipment has started the broadcasting of theaudio-visual transmission (step 150), then the second equipmenttransmits an acknowledgement message (160) destined for all of the itemsof equipment of the broadcasting system. This acknowledgement messagemay, for example, contain the identifier of the second broadcastingequipment as well as the user identifier and be transmitted by means ofan exchange protocol similar to the protocol described hereafter forsending the moving away message. According to the embodiments and theparameterisation of the broadcasting system, the broadcasting by thefirst equipment may be interrupted automatically, unless the presence ofanother connected device has been detected near to the first equipment.Indeed, the method of an embodiment of the invention can provide toswitch off automatically an item of broadcasting equipment, when thebroadcasting has been resumed by another item of equipment. It may alsoprovide to ask the user, via an acknowledgement message, if thebroadcasting on the first equipment has to be interrupted. In analternative, the method of an embodiment of the invention may provide toswitch off the first broadcasting equipment, when the broadcasting hasbeen resumed by the second equipment and only if no other connecteddevice is detected near to the first equipment. These differentembodiments and alternatives may be parameterised, as described later.

The method 100 may comprise, before step 110, a preliminary operation ofrecognising the connected device. This recognition operation firstlycomprises a selection of the connected device by the user. Indeed,during the installation of the broadcasting system, each connecteddevice of the users of the system is detected beforehand at least by thefirst equipment. Each user then selects, from a menu displayed on thefirst equipment, the connected device with which he is associated.

Once the connected device has been selected, proximity and/or movingaway information are identified. To do so, several technologies may beused such as, for example, NFC (Near Field Communication) technology,Beacon technology, Wi-Fi positioning, and Bluetooth technology, etc. Inthe present description, the identification of proximity and/or movingaway information is carried out by means of Bluetooth technology.Certain technologies enable precise localisation of the connecteddevice. Although Bluetooth technology is easy to implement, it does nothowever enable very precise localisation of the connected device. Thepreliminary recognition operation may then comprise a learning phase,during which at least the first equipment is going to learn the closethreshold and distant threshold values of the connected device.

In the example where the first equipment is a decoder/television set, amenu displayed on the television makes it possible to display the listof connected devices provided to enable the identification of the user.The user is invited to install himself in front of his screen and toselect the connected device that he wishes to use to make it possible toimplement the following method, for example a smart phone of which theBluetooth is activated. After this selection, the decoder measures thestrength of the Bluetooth signal that it receives from the smart phoneand memorises this connected device and this strength as reference forthe user.

The measurement of the received signal strength, in Bluetoothtechnology, uses the RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator) value,sampled over a short time lapse of several seconds (for example 5seconds) which makes it possible to filter the noise inherent in thereception of a radio signal. The signal on the selected connected deviceis measured during this time lapse and memorised as threshold value.

A close threshold value is measured, for example when the user isinstalled in front of his television. A distant threshold value ismeasured when, on invitation of the configuration system, the user movesaway from the television during a period of several seconds (for example10 seconds). A final movement of the user near to the television makesit possible to finalise the identification. The measurement of thesignal is then recorded and becomes the reference for the event foractivating the following of the audio-visual transmission on the variousitems of equipment of the broadcasting system.

Each new user wishing to be registered will have to identify hisconnected device in the manner described above.

Those skilled in the art will understand that the RSSI value is a valuemainly linked to the drivers of the Bluetooth chip and is notstandardised. The learning phase makes it possible to detect thethreshold values specific to each connected device. The use of the SNR(Signal to Noise Ratio) is another possible technique to measure thereceived signal strength of the connected device, if this value isavailable via the Bluetooth chip.

Once the connected device has been selected and its threshold valuesmeasured, these data are transmitted to all of the items of equipment ofthe broadcasting system by sending a following message. This followingmessage, which comprises the data required to follow the connecteddevice through the home, is transmitted by the first equipment to all ofthe items of equipment of the broadcasting system in order that each ofthese items of equipment can detect the connected device on approach.

An example of following message is represented schematically in FIG. 4.This following message 200 comprises, within a same message frame, theMAC address 210 of the connected device, its close threshold value 220such as measured, its distant threshold value 230 such as measured and auser identifier. The user identifier allows each user to easily find hisconnected device in the list, during the selection. The MAC address hasthe benefit of being an address specific to each connected device, whichmakes it possible to associate, with each connected device, its ownclose and distant threshold values.

In an alternative, the close and distant threshold values are measuredfor a single connected device and these values are attributed by defaultto each new connected device. This alternative, although less precise,enables a rapid installation of new connected devices.

In another alternative, it is sought, conversely, to refine thedetection of proximity and moving away of the connected devices. To doso, the learning phase such as defined above is implemented by each itemof broadcasting equipment, which makes it possible to obtain a precisedetection, suited to the size of each room of the home.

As soon as the recognition operation has ended, the broadcasting systemis operational and any user can follow automatically an audio-visualtransmission from one room to the other of the home. The following ofthe connected device through the home is achieved, as explainedpreviously, by detecting the moving away and/or the proximity of theconnected device. More precisely, when the connected device moves awayfrom a broadcasting equipment, the equipment transmits a moving awaymessage destined for the other items of broadcasting equipment so thatthey verify if the connected device is approaching one of them. Anexample of a moving away message is represented in FIG. 5. This movingaway message 300 includes, in a same message frame, an identifier 310 ofthe broadcasting equipment transmitting the moving away message, the MACaddress 320 of the connected device, an information 330 to resume theaudio-visual transmission and a temporisation data 340. The identifier310 of the broadcasting equipment is an identifier of the equipmenthaving transmitted the moving away information. It may be used, notably,to display on the second equipment that the content of the audio-visualtransmission is that which was broadcast by the first equipment. The MACaddress 320 of the connected device makes it possible to attach to theconnected device the user identifier that has generated the event. Theinformation to resume the audio-visual transmission 330, designated “URIMedia” (Uniform Resource Identifier Media) in FIG. 5, is the informationmaking it possible to resume the reading of the content of theaudio-visual transmission, for example a HLS M3U8 link, which allows thesecond equipment to know from which source comes the content of theaudio-visual transmission, for example a Multicast, HLS, Netflix, TNT,SAT source, etc. The temporisation data 340, named “Time Offsettriggering” in FIG. 5, is the time shift information making it possibleto return, in the content of the audio-visual transmission, to themoment where the moving away of the connected device has been detectedsuch that the user does not lose the content of the audio-visualtransmission.

The moving away message may be sent by the equipment having detected themoving away of the connected device, by any type of standard networkprotocol such as, for example, by WebSocket, UPnP or any other networkprotocol known to those skilled in the art.

Thus, in the example of the apartment of FIG. 1, if the user, who iswatching an audio-visual transmission in his living room, moves in orderto go into the kitchen, then the content of the audio-visualtransmission broadcast on the television 21 of the living room continuesuntil the user enters the kitchen. At this instant, the smart speaker 23of the kitchen broadcasts the sound of the audio-visual transmission.When the user comes back into his living room, the sound stops in thekitchen. If, still in the example of the apartment of FIG. 1, the usermoves from his living room, to his bedroom, the decoder/television set22 of the bedroom detects the approach of the user and broadcasts theaudio-visual transmission from the moment where the moving away eventhad been transmitted.

In certain embodiments, the method of the invention may comprise anoperation of parameterisation of certain variables. Indeed, the menudisplayed on the broadcasting equipment during the installation of thebroadcasting system may propose to parameterise certain variables suchas, for example, a time slot during which the automatic following of theaudio-visual transmission is allowed. It can also propose to select theitems of equipment allowed to implement the automatic following of theaudio-visual transmissions and to define the management of these itemsof equipment, notably the turning on and turning off of the items ofequipment.

It can also propose, systematically or in certain time slots, to requestthe agreement of the user for following an audio-visual transmission. Itmay also propose to define a hierarchy of the connected devices of theusers, the connected devices of the parents being able, for example, tobe given priority over those of the children. It may further proposedefining the conditions for turning off and/or turning on broadcastingequipment. Those skilled in the art will understand that thesepropositions for parameterisations are only examples and that otherparameterisations may be envisaged as a function, notably, of theconsidered premises, the users, the items of broadcasting equipment,etc.

In other embodiments, the following of the audio-visual transmission maybe carried out by means of the connected device of the user, for examplewhen the connected device is a smart phone or a tablet. Indeed, if inthe embodiments described previously the connected device only has arole of trigger (by the detection of its moving away), it may alsoconstitute one of the items of broadcasting equipment of the system.Indeed, a dedicated application may be downloaded onto the connecteddevice to enable it to broadcast the audio-visual transmission. In theseembodiments, the connected device serves at one and the same time forthe detection of the moving away of the user, as described previously,and for the broadcasting of the audio-visual transmission, like anyother item of equipment of the broadcasting system, which makes itpossible to continue viewing an audio-visual transmission during themovement or when the user is out of range of a broadcasting equipment.In these embodiments, the information received by the connected deviceis the same as the frame sent by the equipment transmitting the movingaway message, but will be processed by the application of the operatorinstalled on the connected device that will alone be able to interpretit to broadcast the content.

Although described through a certain number of examples, alternativesand embodiments, the following method and the broadcasting systemaccording to the invention include various alternatives, modificationsand improvements which will become clear in an obvious manner to thoseskilled in the art, it being understood that these alternatives,modifications and improvements form part of the scope of the invention.

Embodiments of the subject matter and the operations described in thisspecification can be implemented in digital electronic circuitry, or incomputer software, firmware, or hardware, including the structuresdisclosed in this specification and their structural equivalents, or incombinations of one or more of them. Embodiments of the subject matterdescribed in this specification can be implemented as one or morecomputer programs, i.e., one or more modules of computer programinstructions, encoded on computer storage medium for execution by, or tocontrol the operation of, data processing apparatus.

A computer storage medium can be, or can be included in, acomputer-readable storage device, a computer-readable storage substrate,a random or serial access memory array or device, or a combination ofone or more of them. Moreover, while a computer storage medium (e.g. amemory) is not a propagated signal, a computer storage medium can be asource or destination of computer program instructions encoded in anartificially-generated propagated signal. The computer storage mediumalso can be, or can be included in, one or more separate physicalcomponents or media (e.g., multiple CDs, disks, or other storagedevices). The operations described in this specification can beimplemented as operations performed by a data processing apparatus ondata stored on one or more computer-readable storage devices or receivedfrom other sources.

The term “programmed processor” encompasses all kinds of apparatus,devices, and machines for processing data, including by way of example aprogrammable processor, digital signal processor (DSP), a computer, asystem on a chip, or multiple ones, or combinations, of the foregoing.The apparatus can include special purpose logic circuitry, e.g., an FPGA(field programmable gate array) or an ASIC (application-specificintegrated circuit).

The processes and logic flows described in this specification can beperformed by one or more programmable processors executing one or morecomputer programs to perform actions by operating on input data andgenerating output. The processes and logic flows can also be performedby, and apparatus can also be implemented as, special purpose logiccircuitry, e.g., an FPGA (field programmable gate array) or an ASIC(application-specific integrated circuit).

Processors suitable for the execution of a computer program include, byway of example, both general and special purpose microprocessors, andany one or more processors of any kind of digital computer. Generally, aprocessor will receive instructions and data from a read-only memory ora random-access memory or both. The essential elements of a computer area processor for performing actions in accordance with instructions andone or more memory devices for storing instructions and data. Generally,a computer will also include, or be operatively coupled to receive datafrom or transfer data to, or both, one or more mass storage devices forstoring data, e.g., magnetic, magneto-optical disks, or optical disks.However, a computer need not have such devices. Devices suitable forstoring computer program instructions and data include all forms ofnon-volatile memory, media and memory devices, including by way ofexample semiconductor memory devices, e.g., EPROM, EEPROM, and flashmemory devices; magnetic disks, e.g., internal hard disks or removabledisks; magneto-optical disks; and CD-ROM and DVD-ROM disks. Theprocessor and the memory can be supplemented by, or incorporated in,special purpose logic circuitry.

To provide for interaction with a user, embodiments of the subjectmatter described in this specification can be implemented on a computerhaving a display device, e.g., an LCD (liquid crystal display), LED(light emitting diode), or OLED (organic light emitting diode) monitor,for displaying information to the user and a keyboard and a pointingdevice, e.g., a mouse or a trackball, by which the user can provideinput to the computer. In some implementations, a touch screen can beused to display information and to receive input from a user. Otherkinds of devices can be used to provide for interaction with a user aswell; for example, feedback provided to the user can be any form ofsensory feedback, e.g., visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactilefeedback; and input from the user can be received in any form, includingacoustic, speech, or tactile input.

The present invention has been described and illustrated in the presentdetailed description and in the figures of the appended drawings, inpossible embodiments. The present invention is not however limited tothe embodiments described. Other alternatives and embodiments may bededuced and implemented by those skilled in the art on reading thepresent description and the appended drawings.

In the claims, the term “includes” or “comprises” does not exclude otherelements or other steps. A single processor or several other units maybe used to implement the invention. The different characteristicsdescribed and/or claimed may be beneficially combined. Their presence inthe description or in the different dependent claims do not exclude thispossibility. The reference signs cannot be understood as limiting thescope of the invention.

1. A method for following an audio-visual transmission between at leasta first and a second items of broadcasting equipment connected through arouter and each able to broadcast at least partially the audio-visualtransmission, wherein each of the items of broadcasting equipmentcomprises a calculation processor, a memory and at least one interfacefor following a connected device associated with a user, the methodcomprising: detecting, by the first broadcasting equipment, a movingaway of the connected device with respect to said first broadcastingequipment, sending, by the first broadcasting equipment, of a movingaway message destined for all of the items of broadcasting equipmentconnected to the router, the moving away message comprising data fortemporisation of the audio-visual transmission, verifying, by each ofthe items of broadcasting equipment connected to the router, of theapproach of the connected device, detecting, by the second broadcastingequipment, of the approach of the connected device associated with theuser, broadcasting the audio-visual transmission, by the secondbroadcasting equipment, as a function of the temporisation datatransmitted by the first broadcasting equipment in the moving awaymessage, and transmitting, by the second broadcasting equipment, of anacknowledgement message destined for all of the items of broadcastingequipment.
 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising apreliminary operation of recognising the connected device associatedwith the user and transmission, to the items of broadcasting equipmentconnected to the router, of a following message containing data forfollowing said connected device.
 3. The method according to claim 2,wherein each following message comprises, in a message frame, a MACaddress relative to the connected device, a close threshold value, adistant threshold value and a user identifier.
 4. The method accordingto claim 1, wherein each moving away message comprises, in a messageframe, an identifier of the broadcasting equipment transmitting themoving away message, the MAC address of the connected device, aninformation to resume the audio-visual transmission and thetemporisation data.
 5. The method according to claim 2, wherein thepreliminary operation of recognising the connected device comprises atleast one measurement, at least by the first broadcasting equipment, ofa received signal strength indicator.
 6. The method according to claim5, wherein the preliminary operation of recognising the connected devicecomprises a sampling of the received signal strength indicator.
 7. Themethod according to claim 2, wherein the preliminary operation ofrecognising the connected device comprises a selection of the connecteddevice, by the user.
 8. The method according to claim 1, furthercomprising, after reception of the acknowledgement message, and in theabsence of a second connected device detected near to the firstbroadcasting equipment, an operation of stopping the broadcasting by thefirst broadcasting equipment.
 9. The method according to claim 1,wherein the connected device communicates with is the items ofbroadcasting equipment via a Bluetooth wireless exchange protocol. 10.The method according to claim 1, wherein, when the connected device isdetected on approaching the second broadcasting equipment, said secondbroadcasting equipment sends to the user a request to accept aresumption of the audio-visual transmission.
 11. An equipment forbroadcasting an audio-visual transmission, comprising a calculationprocessor, a memory and at least one interface for following a connecteddevice associated with a user, said broadcasting equipment being adaptedto detect a moving away and an approach of the connected device, tosend, receive and process a moving away message, and to broadcast theaudio-visual transmission taking account of temporisation data containedin the moving away message.
 12. A system for broadcasting anaudio-visual transmission implementing the method according to claim 1,comprising: at least a first and a second items of broadcastingequipment connected through a router, and at least one connected device,associated with a user and connected to the items of broadcastingequipment by a wireless exchange protocol, each of the first and seconditems of broadcasting equipment comprising a calculation processor, amemory and at least one interface for following the connected device.13. Computer programme, comprising instructions which, when they areexecuted by an equipment for broadcasting an audio-visual transmission,are capable of implementing the method according to claim 1 fordetecting the connected device and broadcasting the audio-visualtransmission.
 14. A non-transitory machine readable medium, includingmachine readable instructions for implementing, by an equipment forbroadcasting an audio-visual transmission, the method according to claim1 when the machine readable instructions are executed by a processor ofsaid equipment.